Linear transformer driver

Sandia National Laboratory is currently investigating a z-pinch as a possible ignition source for inertial confinement fusion.

On its "Z machine", Sandia can achieve dense, high temperature plasmas by firing fast, 100-nanosecond current pulses exceeding 20 million amps through hundreds of tungsten wires with diameters on the order of tens of micrometres.

Sandia's roadmap includes another future Z machine version called ZN (Z Neutron) to test higher yields in fusion power and automation systems.

ZN is planned to give between 20 and 30 MJ of hydrogen fusion power with a shot per hour thanks to LTDs replacing the current Marx generators.

Sandia labs recently proposed a conceptual 1 petawatt (1015 watts) LTD Z-pinch power plant, where the electric discharge would reach 70 million amperes.